How to Read Your Accident Report
Posted on Sunday, June 26th, 2022 at 5:59 am
Cincinnati, Ohio is located on the banks of the Ohio River, and just over the bridge is Florence, Kentucky. Many people think of the area as one big city. So what happens if you are injured in a car accident in this metro area? Depending on the location of the accident, different laws could govern how your case progresses. That’s why it is crucial to consult with a personal injury attorney who is familiar with the legal system in both Ohio and Kentucky.
Crash Reports Are Crucial to Your Claim
When a car accident happens in Ohio or Kentucky, an investigating police officer should arrive on the scene and fill out an accident report. In Kentucky, this is called a Kentucky Uniform Police Traffic Collision Report and in Ohio, it is known as an Ohio Public Safety Traffic Crash Report.
If you were injured in a car accident that was caused by someone else’s negligence, you will need to obtain a copy of your accident report and pass it along to the insurance company. In Kentucky, you can request your crash report through the Boone County PSCC Office in Florence, Kentucky, or online.
In Ohio, you can request your report online at the Ohio Department of Public Safety crash retrieval site. The location of the accident scene will dictate the entity you request your crash report from, not the state where you reside. In other words, if your home is in Cincinnati but the car crash happened in Florence, Kentucky, you’ll request your report through the Boone County Police Department.
It is vital to get a copy of the report after it’s been filed. You should review the report to ensure that it is accurate. Police officers are human beings and can sometimes make mistakes. It’s important to get those mistakes corrected before you submit the police report as evidence for your claim.
How to Read Your Crash Report
Crash reports in Ohio and Kentucky are similar in terms of the information included in the report. If you need help obtaining the report or correcting it, the legal team at Lawrence & Associates Accident and Injury Lawyers, LLC can help. In both Kentucky and Ohio, the first page of the crash report contains identifying information about the individuals involved in the crash, the date, time, and location of the crash, and the weather conditions at the time of the crash.
The crash report will also describe how the car accident happened and indicate the type of collision (head-on, rear-end, etc.). If there were injuries reported at the time of the accident, the report will document who was injured, the nature of the injuries, and whether the injured persons were taken by ambulance to the hospital.
The next section of the report documents valuable information about how the crash occurred, and whether a driver was believed to be distracted or drunk at the time of the accident. If the driver admitted fault after the crash, police officers will make a note of this in the report. The crash report will also include descriptions of any non-vehicular property damage that occurred and contain contact information for the property owner.
Crash reports in Ohio and Kentucky should also contain a section in which law enforcement officers may draw a diagram of the accident. This diagram will include the direction of travel, any maneuvers the drivers took to avoid the accident, and the presence of skid marks on the road.
It’s important to scrutinize the officer’s narrative. This section may include information that doesn’t appear anywhere else in the report. If something in the narrative contradicts information included elsewhere in the report it can negatively affect your ability to recover damages.
Contact Lawrence & Associates Accident and Injury Lawyers, LLC for Help After a Car Accident
If you were involved in a car accident in Southern Ohio or Northern Kentucky, you need an attorney who is familiar with the laws in both states. The legal team at Lawrence & Associates Accident and Injury Lawyers, LLC has the skills and experience to aggressively negotiate with an insurance company for fair compensation after a car accident.
We believe that our results and client testimonials speak for themselves. Our team handles every aspect of your case from start to finish. We’ve helped thousands of clients in Ohio and Northern Kentucky and will take your case if we believe we can help you too.
Our car accident attorneys are also skilled litigators who can represent you in court in Kentucky or Ohio, if necessary. We understand that no amount of money can make up for your personal injuries or property loss. However, obtaining financial relief can reduce the strain of medical expenses and other costs that you shouldn’t have to bear. Call our office today at (513) 351-5997 for a free consultation.
